Navies seek "pirate cultural adviser"

It must rank as one of the most unusual recruitment adverts ever placed, even
by the standards of the European Union: the search is on for a "pirate
cultural adviser" to help naval commanders understand the foes they
face along the coast of Africa.

Some 400 sailors are currently held captive, with pirate gangs earning tens of millions of dollars a year in ransoms. The job is expected to include advising naval commanders on pirates' religious practices and their habit of chewing qhat, an amphetamine-filled plant which renders users hyperactive.

But swashbuckling Long John Silver types with a knowledge of pirate lore may be disappointed: the post is expected to be filled by an ex-military figure with expertise in shipping, insurance and ransom negotiations. And rather than scouring the taverns of Bristol or Penzance for likely talent, the commanders have contented themselves with placing the advertisement on the website for EU Navfor, the European antipiracy task force based at the Nato HQ in Northwood, London.

"The job title may sound ambiguous, but what we are really looking for here is someone who can help us know the enemy better," said Commander Harry Harrison, a spokesman for EU Navfor. "The intention is to seek advice on the Somali pirates' methodology and tactics, which are constantly evolving."

The adviser will also work with naval intelligence teams to develop possible cases for prosecution. Cdr Harrison said EU Navfor might also be interested in Somali applicants with detailed knowledge of the country and its clans.

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The salary is not disclosed in the advertisemtn: asked if it might be paid in pieces of eight, Cdr Harrison stressed that there was nothing "romantic" about modern day piracy. "These people are not Johnny Depp or Keira Knightly messing about in Pirates of Caribbean, they are crooks who take sailors hostage," he said.